Healthy Living: Edamame

My college BFF, Amanda, is somewhat of a hippie – at least that’s what I called her. Turns out she’s just very, very conscientious of what she eats, drinks, and what kind of products she uses around her house. She likes things to be natural, organic and good for her and her family.

Amanda was the one who first introduced me to edamame when I visited her in Seattle where she now lives. Hippie food, I teased her. Then I couldn’t stop eating it. It’s like candy, but healthy! You pop one in your mouth and you just have to keep going.

Edamame is essentially an immature soybean, the green ‘bean’ inside the pod.

Not only are they delicious, but they’re highly nutritious as well. Edamame are rich in folates, manganese, and vitamin K. They are a great balance of carbs, proteins and fiber. They’re chock-full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Three ounces of edamame is about 100 calories, with 12 grams of protein, 569 mg of potassium, 12 grams of carbohydrates and six grams of fat.

The best thing is, they’re so easy to prepare. Simply steam them, toss with a little sea salt and olive oil if you wish, and pop ‘em in your mouth.